by Sara Bennett
When Sebastian had told her that day she had to make a choice—she could have him or the life Patrick had set out for her—she hadn’t needed any time at all to make up her mind.
Oh how right that decision had been!
As expected, her mother and brother had been furious, and had wiped their hands of her. Sebastian knew that hurt her, just as the scandal had hurt her, but to the world she showed a brave face. Thankfully the scandal had begun to fade, and as was the way with such things, was soon overtaken by other tittle-tattle and rumourmongering. Not that they cared—they were too happy to care what others thought.
As for the money Patrick had wanted to go to his son, there had been many discussions with his lawyer and his banker. Because Oliver was no longer the legal Richmond heir, it was up to Lavinia to decide what should be done and she knew what she wanted. It was arranged for Patrick’s fortune to be placed in a trust fund, to be used to help common soldiers, men who had fought for their country and suffered because of it. She also wanted to support the soldiers’ families, some of who were in dire need. In her heart, Lavinia hoped that Patrick would have approved.
The town house in Mockingbird Square she kept, just in case they needed somewhere to stay if they ever returned to London. In the meantime it was to be shared equally among Patrick’s step daughters, and Lavinia’s mother and brother Martin. She wondered whether they would be able to play nicely, and then decided she didn’t care. Besides, Monkstead would keep an eye on them.
“You are deep in thought,” Sebastian said, smoothing back her tangled hair from her face. The wind was blustery today, pushing their ship along toward its destination.
Lavinia reached to take his hand. Mary was looking after Oliver in the cabin—the little boy had taken to shipboard life with no trouble at all, and Mary had surprised them all by agreeing to accompany them on the journey. It seemed that she had always wanted to travel and she wasn’t quite as strict and stern as she had seemed in Mockingbird Square.
“Are you missing your friends?” he went on.
Was she? Margaret had written to her, full of exciting news, and Lavinia had written back with a great deal of pleasure. Margaret deserved to be happy, even if her happy ending was not quite what anyone would have expected. Sometimes she did miss Mockingbird Square, but she didn’t want to go back.
“We’re together and that’s all that matters,” she said. Stretching up she kissed his lips, tasting the salt and the warm male underneath.
He drew her closer, fitting her body to his. “I hope you are prepared for more sea journeys, Lavinia. I will have to travel back to England to deal with Mark, and I refuse to be parted from you ever again.”
She smiled. “With all my heart, never again.”
He bent to kiss her once more, and they turned their faces to the future.
About the Author
Sara Bennett is an Australian who lives in an old gold rush town in southern Australia. She has written Historical Romance for Avon/ HarperCollins and is also independently published.
Unforgettable, Enraptured and Surrender are the first three novellas in her new Regency Romance series Mockingbird Square, which is all about Second Chances.
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Website: www.sara-bennett.com
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Facebook: http://bit.ly/SaraBennett
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Be sure to sign up to her Newsletter for the latest as well as free stories.
Other books in the Mockingbird Square Series…
UNFORGETTABLE
(MOCKINGBIRD SQUARE SERIES #1)
Ash Linholm and Juliet Montgomery were once deeply in love, but their families tore them apart. Now, 8 years on, Ash is thinking of marrying for the sake of an heir to his estate. His bride of choice is a relative of the Earl of Monkstead, but the earl is a great believer in marrying for love, and he persuades Ash to revisit his painful past.
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Does Juliet still love him after all that has happened? Is it possible for them to find the happiness that was once denied them?
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ENRAPTURED
(MOCKINGBIRD SQUARE SERIES #2)
Wealthy Olivia Willoughby has led a happy and untroubled life, so far. Then, on holiday in Scotland, she meets Rory Maclean. Rory is as untamed as the landscape about them. The last of his family, he’s the owner of a falling down castle and deeply in debt, and he has two wishes. One, to marry an heiress and two, find the Sword of the Macleans, a fabled weapon which carries with it the luck of the family.
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For a time Olivia and Rory embrace married life and civilisation in London, and then Olivia learns the truth. That Rory organised their ‘accidental’ meeting and married her for her money. Furious with him, and yet still loving him, she follows him home to Scotland.
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In the distant north, at Rory’s castle, anything is possible. Will love conquer all, or will Olivia return to Mockingbird Square, alone.
AND COMING SOON…
RECKLESS
(MOCKINGBIRD SQUARE SERIES #4)
Other Books By Sara Bennett
My Lady Imposter (prev published as Deborah Miles)
Lizzie My Love (prev published as Deborah Miles)
The Lily and the Sword (Medieval Series 1)
The Rose and the Shield (Medieval Series 2)
Once He Loves (Medieval Series 3)
Kissing the Bride (Medieval Series 4)
Beloved Highlander
Lessons in Seduction (Greentree Sisters 1)
The Rules of Passion (Greentree Sisters 2)
Mistress of Scandal (Greentree Sisters 3)
A Seduction in Scarlet (Aphrodite’s Club 1)
Her Secret Lover (Aphrodite’s Club 2)
Led Astray by a Rake (Husband Hunters Club 1)
A Most Sinful Proposal (Husband Hunters Club 2)
To Pleasure a Duke (Husband Hunters Club 3)
Sin with a Scoundrel (Husband Hunters Club 4)
Wicked Earl Seeks Proper Heiress (Husband Hunters Club 5)
Miss Debenham’s Secret (Husband Hunters Club novella)
Unforgettable (Mockingbird Square #1)
Enraptured (Mockingbird Square #2)
Surrender (Mockingbird Square #3)
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And coming soon, Reckless (Mockingbird Square #4)